It has long been known to provide such appliances with anti-vibration handles in which the handle is connected to the body of the appliance by means of coil spring connections. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,819,742 and 5,361,500 and US Application No 2011/0226501 are indicative of this art as applied to chain saws. However, chain saws are operated two handed and thus represent a different class of handle.
Where the anti-vibration handle is intended to be grasped by one hand, the handle is generally cylindrical having a longitudinal axis which extends between two ends. Each end is connected to the body of the appliance by means of a corresponding spring. As a consequence, the handle is able to rotate in either direction through a small arc about its longitudinal axis as a result of the flexing of the springs. Particularly where the appliance produces reaction forces in its operation, this can result in undesirable, and unwanted, movement between the handle of the appliance and the body of the appliance. The consequence is that the operator does not have full control of the appliance and injuries or other damage may result.
Furthermore, many prior art blowers are awkward to operate. In particular, in those prior art blowers where the axis of the air outlet tube is not aligned with the axis of the handle, in use a torque is generated by the air exiting from the outlet tube with tends to rotate the blower about a vertical axis. This torque must be resisted by the wrist of the operator and this requires sustained muscular effort over time.
In addition, even if the axis of the air outlet tube is aligned with the handle of the blower, the outlet tube of the blower must be directed more downwardly in use than in its normal carrying position. As a consequence, the wrist of the operator must be cocked downwardly so as to place the hand in the correct angle to direct the blast of air towards the ground, and in this way blow leaf litter and other debris in the desired direction. Furthermore, the blast of air must normally be directed from left to right and back again in a swinging arcuate movement. Each of these requirements increases the fatigue of the operator.